A POLICE officer who sent a cyclist flying into the air when his van hit the talented musician at twice the speed limit has been convicted of dangerous driving.

PC David Lynch, 31, mowed down Joseph ‘Pepe’ Belmonte, from Weybridge, after the police van he was driving "took off" as he sped over a hump-backed bridge, a court heard.

The British Transport Police officer smashed into the cyclist after swerving to avoid a traffic island in what prosecutors said was a "wholesale failure of judgement".

Horrified witnesses described hearing a "loud bang" before Mr Belmonte was propelled onto the bonnet then thrown towards a tree like a "rag doll", the court was told.

Lynch, who had admitted careless driving, was convicted by a jury of the more serious offence of dangerous driving after little more than an hour’s deliberation at Southwark Crown Court on Thursday last week (August 23).

The officer told jurors the whole incident had happened in "a blink of an eye" and admitted he had "not slowed down enough" before approaching the bridge in Queensbridge Road, Hackney, east London.

During a four-day trial, the court heard that Mr Belmonte, who was due to begin a tour to promote a new album, spent nine days in an induced coma after suffering brain, spinal and facial injuries as well as a broken right arm and finger.

He had been cycling from Limehouse, east London, to his girlfriend’s in Newington Green when Lynch’s Mercedes Vito police van collided with him at 68mph on March 31 last year.

'No chance of avoiding impact'

Lynch and front seat passenger PC Gary Thomas had been racing to assist a colleague at Hackney Downs station.

After the jury returned its verdict, Judge Geoffrey Pegden QC said: “The injuries that were caused to Mr Belmonte were of the most catastrophic nature. Although he was released from hospital on April 14, 2011, he has really suffered life-changing injuries.

“I’ve seen just this morning the most recent statement from him. He was a singer and songwriter and basically his career has been ruined, although he’s managed to do some work he still has life-changing injuries of the gravest nature.”

'Miss my life'

Reading from a statement made by Mr Belmonte, prosecutor Sam Brown, said the musician still continued to have follow-up treatment for his injuries and had to re-learn to play the guitar.

He said: “He describes the quality of his life as nothing having improved.

“He says ‘I miss my life as it was before the accident. I was young and living the life of a working musician cycling round London looking for venues to play and musicians to play with'.”

The court heard Lynch had previously been banned from driving for two months after he was caught travelling at 98mph in a 70mph zone on the A10 in 2005.

He was also given three points on his licence for a second speeding offence in 2008 when he was caught doing 40mph in a 30mph zone.